THE POSTWAR BOOM

THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S

John Naisbitt

Learning Objectives: Section 3 - Popular Culture

1. Explain how television programs in the 1950s reflected middle class values.

2. Explain how the beat movement and rock’n’roll music clashed with middle class values.

3. Describe ways that African-American entertainers integrated the media in the 1950s.

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New Era of the Mass Media

The Rise of Television• Mass media—means of communication that reach

large audiences• TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of

homes in 1960• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

regulates communications• By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast• Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows,

children’s shows• Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine;

TV dinners

Popular Culture3SECTION

Continued . . .

SECTION 3: POPULAR CULTURE

A new era of mass media led by television emerged in the 1950s

In 1948, only 9% of homes had T.V

In 1950, 55% of homes had T.V.

By 1960, 90% of American homes had T.V.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION The 1950s was

known as the “Golden Age of Television”

Comedies were the main attraction as Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were very popular

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball starred in I Love Lucy

TELEVISION EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS FORMATS

Television innovations like on-the-scene-news reporting, interviews, westerns and sporting events offered the viewer a variety of shows

Kids’ shows like The Howdy Doody Show and The Mickey Mouse Club were extremely popular

GUIDED READING

Popular Culture1. Television TV Shows:

I Love Lucy;

See It Now;

Playhouse 90

Subjects presented:

Comedy;

idealized white America;

Western frontier

Subjects avoided:

Poverty;

diversity;

contemporary conflicts, such as racial discrimination

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continued New Era of the Mass Media

Stereotypes and Gunslingers• Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few

blacks, Latinos• Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts • Raise concerns about effect of violence on children

3SECTION

Radio and Movies• Television cuts into radio, movie markets• Radio turns to local news, weather, music,

community affairs• Movies capitalize on size, color, sound

advantages; try gimmicks

TV ADS, TV GUIDES AND TV DINNERS EXPAND

TV advertising soared from $170 million in 1950 to nearly $2 billion in 1960

TV Guide magazine quickly became the best selling magazine

Frozen TV dinners were introduced in 1954 – these complete ready-to-heat meals on disposable aluminum trays made it easy for people to eat without missing their favorite shows

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS A – How did the emergence of

television affect Americans culture in the 1950’s More households used television for

entertainment and People spent an increasing number of

hours watching TV. More varied shows were broadcast, and TV dinners were invented to

accommodate viewers.

Radio focused on local areas

GUIDED READING

Popular Culture2. Radio a. Radio changes:

Tuned to local programming;

began targeting specialized audiences

b. African-American culture:

Hundreds of stations focused on African-American performers, helping to sell their records.

B – Do you think the rise of television had a positive or negative effect on Americans? Explain. Positive –

informing and entertaining; Reinforcing cultural values.

Negative – Promoting stereotypes of minorities and

women; Exposing children to images of violence.

C – How did radio and movies maintain their appeal in the 1950’s They concentrated on what they did

best – local news, weather, and music programming on radio;

Size, color, and stereophonic sound in movies.

GUIDED READING

Popular Culture3. Film Film:

Introduced innovations such as stereoscopic sound and Cinemascope to capitalize on its advantages over TV;

introduced such fads as piped-in smells and 3-D

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3SECTION

The Beat Movement• Beat movement—writers, artists express social,

literary nonconformity• Poets, writers use free, open form; read works

aloud in coffeehouses• Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention,

students

A Subculture Emerges

A SUBCULTURE EMERGES

Although mass media and television were wildly popular in the 1950s, dissenting voices emerged

The “Beat Movement” in literature and rock n’ roll clashed with tidy suburban views of life

BEATNIKS FOLLOW OWN PATH

Centered in San Francisco, L.A. and New York’s Greenwich Village, the Beat Movement expressed social nonconformity

Followers, called “beatniks”, tended to shun work and sought understanding through Zen Buddhism, music, and sometimes drugsBeatniks often performed

poetry or music in coffeehouses or bars

D – Why do you think many young Americans were attracted to the beat movement? Teenagers looking for alternatives to

the conformity and consumerism of the parents found a celebration of poverty, unconformity, and art that reflected immediate sensory experience.

GUIDED READING

Popular Culture4. The Beat Movement

a. Beat movement:,

Ginsberg,

Kerouac

b. Characteristics:

Nonconformity;

anti-materialism;

interest in a higher consciousness;

the shunning of structure in life and art

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3SECTION

Rock ‘n’ Roll• Black musicians add electric instruments to

blues—rhythm and blues• Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues,

country, pop• Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics

about teenage concerns • Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can

buy records• Many adults concerned music will lead to

delinquency, immorality

African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll

Continued . . .

MUSIC IN THE 1950s Musicians in the

1950s added electronic instruments to traditional blues music, creating rhythm and blues

Cleveland DJ Alan Freed was the first to play this music in 1951– he called it “rock and roll”

FREED

ROCK N’ ROLL In the early and mid-fifties, Richard Penniman, Chuck

Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, and especially Elvis Presley brought rock and roll to the forefront

The driving rhythm and lyrics featuring love, cars, and problems of being young --- captivated teenagers across the country

THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL

Presley’s rebellious style captured young audiences

Girls screamed and fainted, and boys tried to imitate him

E – Based on Elvis Presley’s song titles, what do you think were teenagers’ concerns in the 1950’s? Songs were about love and

heartache, and the problems of being young.

F – Identify your favorite singer, based his/her song titles what message or idea do you think they are trying to relate to you. ANSWER THIS ON YOUR OWN

GUIDED READING

Popular Culture5. Rock ‘n’ Roll a. Rock 'n' roll:

Elvis Presley,

Chuck Berry,

Little Richard;

radio,

TV

b. Characteristics:

heavy rhythm;

simple melodies and lyrics;

focus on youth

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3SECTION

The Racial Gap• African-American singers like Nat “King” Cole,

Lena Horne popular• Many black artists play jazz, music characterized

by improvisation• African-American shows mostly broadcast on

black radio stations- content, advertising target black audiences

• Important to black audiences with fewer TV sets, no presence on TV

continued African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll

DANCE in the 1950s American

Bandstand was the first program on television to integrate black and white teens.

FREED